U.S. Pilots Jailed in Guinea Despite Court Order to Release

Last updated: 23 February 2026 12:16

3 Min Read

Pilot Fabio Espinal Nunez, one of the two pilots to be imprisoned for over six weeks in Guinea © Lauren Stevenson

Two American pilots have been held in a Republic of Guinea prison for over six weeks after landing for a routine fuel stop. An appeals court ordered the men released on bail, but the country’s military rulers have refused to comply. The case is now heading to Guinea’s Supreme Court.

Pilot Brad Schlenker looking directly at the camera while wearing a pilot uniform inside an aircraft cockpit. — Pilot Brad Schlenker, the second of the two U.S. pilots, inside a cockpit © Brad Schlenker

The Detention

Fabio Espinal Nunez, 33, of New Jersey, and Brad Schlenker, 63, of Illinois, were flying a Gulfstream IV on a charter trip from Suriname to Dubai when they landed at Conakry’s Ahmed Sekou Toure International Airport (CKY) on Dec. 29, 2025, to refuel.

Upon touchdown, roughly 100 soldiers surrounded the aircraft with rifles while armoured vehicles moved into position. The pilots were pulled from the plane and detained. The Republic of Guinea’s military government charged them with entering the country’s airspace without permission and landing without approval. The aircraft was carrying a Brazilian family, including two children, whose fate remains unclear.

Schlenker has contested this, stating:

“We’ve got the transcripts of the radio transmissions, all clearly revealing the fact that we were innocent and ambushed.”

US military officer consults with Guinea armed forces commander during 2012 exercise, highlighting past military cooperation between the two countries amid current detention of American pilots. — US Army Lt Col Steven Metze (left) with Guinea armed forces operations commander Lt Col Ibrahima Sory Bangoura (centre) during a joint military exercise in Senegal, July 2012, highlighting prior US-Guinea military ties as two American pilots remain detained by Guinea’s military © Sarah Mattison

Legal Battle

Local law firm Jocamey Avocats is representing the pilots and is pursuing a decisive ruling from Guinea’s Supreme Court. The firm said it will seek the pilots’ consent to release more details about the case.

According to Lauren Stevenson, Nunez’s fiancée, an appeals court earlier ruled that the pilots should be released on bail, but Guinea’s military intervened to keep them jailed. She told the press that the charges are unfounded.

The pilots are being held in Conakry’s main prison under severely crowded conditions with no electricity, poor sanitation, and inmates taking turns sleeping due to lack of space. Both men are allowed occasional phone calls to family.

The U.S. State Department has not commented publicly on the case. Both families are now asking the Trump administration to step in directly.

Do you think the US government should increase pressure on Guinea to free the pilots? Share your thoughts below.

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ByHezekiah Olabode

Aviation Reporter - A content writer specialising in combining creativity with conversion focused communication. A business graduate from Royal Holloway, University of London with a 2:1 degree classification, they also have experience as a TikTok creator, achieving more than 1.4 million likes and over 10,000 followers. Their work includes website development, advertising content and brand voice creation, with a focus on producing authentic and engaging storytelling that connects with audiences.